Fuel cell

Abstract

The present invention relates to and provides a fuel cell in which sealing can be reliably made for each unit cell, thereby, enabling thinning, facilitating maintenance, and enabling miniaturization and weight reduction, and enabling free shape design. A fuel cell of the present invention is characterized by comprising a sheet-like solid polymer electrolyte 1 and a pair of electrode plates 2, 3 arranged on both sides of the solid polymer electrolyte 1 , and further comprising a pair of metallic plates 4, 5 arranged on both sides of the electrode plates 2, 3 , and provided flow path grooves 9 , and inlets 4 c, 5 c and outlets communicating with the flow path grooves, wherein the peripheral edges of the metallic plates 4, 5 are mechanically sealed with an insulation material 6 interposed between the metallic plates.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fuel cell comprising a sheet-like solid polymer electrolyte, a cathode-side electrode plate arranged on one side of the solid polymer electrolyte, an anode-side electrode plate arranged on the other side, a cathode-side metal plate which is arranged on a surface of the cathode-side electrode plate and enables a gas to be flown to an internal side, and an anode-side metal plate which is arranged on a surface of the anode-side electrode plate and enables a fuel to be flown to an internal side,
 wherein a circumferential part of the solid polymer electrolyte is extended from the electrode plates on both sides, and circumferences of the metal plates on both sides are mechanically sealed by bending press in the state where they are electrically insulated, while the circumferential part is held by opposite parts of the metal plates, 
 wherein the fuel cell has a structure in an external circumferential part of one metal plate is greater in width than an external circumferential part of the other metal plate, and an external circumferential part of the one metal plate is turned up so as to holding-press an external circumferential part of the other metal plate, so that the circumferential part of the solid polymer electrolyte is pressed by the opposite parts of the metal plates. 
 
     
     
       2. The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein a flow path groove is formed by press processing, and an inlet and an outlet communicating with the flow path groove are provided on the anode-side metal plate. 
     
     
       3. The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein a flow path groove is formed by etching, and an inlet and an outlet communicating with the flow path groove are provided on the anode-side metal plate. 
     
     
       4. The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein a flow path groove is formed on an external surface of the cathode-side electrode plate and/or the anode-side electrode plate and, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the flow path groove are provided on the metal plate arranged on a surface thereof. 
     
     
       5. The fuel cell according to  claim 4 , wherein the cathode-side electrode plate and/or the anode-side electrode plate is such that a catalyst is carried on at least one side of an aggregate of fibrous carbon, and a flow path groove in which the fibrous carbon has been removed by laser irradiation is formed on the other side. 
     
     
       6. The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the circumferential part of the solid polymer electrolyte is extended to be exposed from a circumference of a sealed metal plate. 
     
     
       7. The fuel cell according to  claim 6 , wherein an insulating material is further interposed between a circumference of the metal plate and a circumferential part of the solid polymer electrolyte. 
     
     
       8. The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of a circumferential part of at least one of the anode-side metal plate and the cathode-side metal plate is made smaller by etching than a thickness of a part of the respective anode-side metal plate or cathode-side metal plate contacting the solid polymer electrolyte. 
     
     
       9. The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein an opening part for supplying oxygen-containing air is provided on the cathode-side metal plate. 
     
     
       10. The fuel plate according to  claim 1 , wherein a circumferential part of the solid polymer electrolyte is held by metal plates on both sides via an annular sealing member. 
     
     
       11. The fuel cell according to  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the other metal plate and a surface of the turned up external circumferential part are used as a current taking out part. 
     
     
       12. A fuel cell comprising:
 a sheet-shaped solid polymer electrolyte; 
 a cathode-side electrode plate arranged on one side of the solid polymer electrolyte; 
 an anode-side electrode plate arranged on the other side of the solid polymer electrolyte; 
 a cathode-side metal plate arranged on a surface of the cathode-side electrode plate opposite to the solid polymer electrolyte, wherein a gas flow channel for passing a gas therethrough is formed between the cathode-side metal plate and the cathode-side electrode plate; and 
 an anode-side metal plate arranged on a surface of the anode-side electrode plate opposite to the solid polymer electrolyte, wherein a fuel flow channel for passing a fuel therethrough is formed between the anode-side metal plate and the anode-side electrode plate, 
 wherein a parameter of the solid polymer electrolyte protrudes from the electrode plates sandwiching the solid polymer electrolyte, 
 the metal plates comprise circumferential parts extending to and sandwiching the protruding part of the parameter of the solid polymer electrolyte, wherein a circumferential part of one of the cathode-side electrode plate or anode-side electrode plate extends beyond the circumferential part of the other electrode plate, and 
 parameters of the metal plates are mechanically sealed by bending press and electrically insulated from each other. 
 
     
     
       13. The fuel cell according to  claim 12 , wherein the cathode-side metal plate has an inlet opening for introducing the gas into the gas flow channel and an outlet opening for discharging the gas from the gas flow channel. 
     
     
       14. The fuel cell according to  claim 12 , wherein the anode-side metal plate has an inlet opening for introducing the fuel into the fuel flow channel and an outlet opening for discharging the fuel from the fuel flow channel. 
     
     
       15. A method of producing a fuel cell comprising:
 providing a structure comprising a sheet-shaped solid polymer electrolyte sandwiched by a cathode-side electrode plate and an anode-side electrode plate, wherein a parameter of the solid polymer electrolyte protrudes from the electrode plates sandwiching the solid polymer electrolyte; 
 placing a cathode-side metal plate on a surface of the cathode-side electrode plate, wherein a gas flow channel for passing a gas therethrough is formed between the cathode-side metal plate and the cathode-side electrode plate; 
 placing an anode-side metal plate on a surface of the anode-side electrode plate, wherein a fuel flow channel for passing a fuel therethrough is formed between the anode-side metal plate and the anode-side electrode plate, wherein the metal plates comprise circumferential parts extending to and sandwiching the protruding part of the parameter of the solid polymer electrolyte, wherein a circumferential part of one of the cathode-side electrode plate or anode-side electrode plate extends beyond the circumferential part of the other electrode, and 
 mechanically sealing parameters of the metal plates by bending press wherein the metal plates are electrically insulated from each other. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the fuel flow channel is formed as a groove by press processing the anode-side metal plate. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the fuel flow channel is formed as groove by etching the anode-side metal plate. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the cathode-side electrode plate is made of an aggregate of fibrous carbon wherein a catalyst is placed on one side of the aggregate of fibrous carbon, and the gas flow channel is formed on the other side as a groove by removing a part of the aggregate of fibrous carbon by laser irradiation on the other side. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the anode-side electrode plate is made of an aggregate of fibrous carbon wherein a catalyst is placed on one side of the aggregate of fibrous carbon, and the fuel flow channel is formed on the other side as a groove by removing a part of the aggregate of fibrous carbon by laser irradiation on the other side.